Day 4: Titans, Boland call it a draw shortly after tea on final day

The Momentum Multiply Titans and Goldrush Boland officially called it a draw shortly after tea on day four of their CSA 4-Day Series match at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday.

After a frustrating weather affected four days, that saw over two days lost to rain, it was perhaps fitting that bad light had the final say, chasing the players from the field for one final time, with the captains shaking hands soon after.

The result, coupled with the Dolphins losing to the Warriors in their clash in Gqeberha, ensured that the Titans held onto second spot on the competition log, which means they will take on Highveld rivals the Lions in the final starting on Thursday.

CENTURY: Rivaldo Moonsamy brings up his century off 116 balls, including 10 fours and 2 sixes!

A brilliant knock! 💯#4DaySeries pic.twitter.com/AUIdmZ9BAo

— Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) April 6, 2025

In their final pool match, the Titans finished on 323 for six in their first innings, in response to Boland’s 252 all out batting first.

The Titans resumed after tea on 307 for five, with Rivaldo Moonsamy adding just one to his score before he was caught by Pieter Malan off the bowling of Shaun von Berg for a fantastic 117 off 125 balls (9x4; 3x6).

Andile Phehlukwayo, 33no off 21 (3x4; 2x6), and Dayyaan Galiem (2no) were unbeaten at the crease when bad light played its hand.

MONSAMY'S SUBLIME CENTURY

Earlier, in the post lunch session, a sublime century from Moonsamy and an entertaining blitz from Dewald Brevis powered the Momentum Multiply Titans to tea in a strong position.

With the Dolphins and Warriors match still in the balance, the Titans were chasing as many batting points as they could get, to go with their bowling points for bowling Boland all out, as a place in the final was at stake.

It was thus a brisk innings, with the Titans having batted just 47 overs and scored over 300, largely thanks Moonsamy, and a cracking 80 off 57 (9x4; 3x6) from Brevis.

After the lunch break the Titans resumed on 115 for one, with that soon becoming 125 for two as Sibonelo Makhanya (3) edged Glenton Stuurman to keeper Clyde Reeves-Fortuin.

That brought Brevis to the crease and he thoroughly entertained in dominating a 122-run third wicket stand with Moonsamy, as they hammered the Titans past 200 and towards the Boland first innings score.

Brevis was then caught by Malan off the bowling of Ferisco Adams, while Lhuan-dre Pretorius (7) and Keegan Petersen (6) fell chasing quick runs, caught by Aviwe Mgijima off Ethan-John Cunningham, and edging Adams to Reeves-Fortuin respectively as they slipped to 269 for five.

Phehlukwayo then struck a couple of lusty blows as, along with Moonsamy, they cruised into the team break with a 55-run lead on the Boland first-innings score.

In the morning session, the Titans did their first job by bowling out Boland for 252, before following that up with a 115-run first-wicket partnership between Neil Brand, 61 off 63 balls (12x4) and Moonsamy.

Earlier in the match, not even a full day’s play was possible over the first three days, which saw Boland bat sporadically, before tea on day one and after tea on day three, with them reaching stumps on Saturday on 214 for six.

They resumed on Sunday morning with Malan (118), just 10 short of a well batted century, and he duly brought it up with the assistance from the lower order, after Von Berg (29) fell just after the start of play.

The other major contributors in Boland’s first innings were Grant Roelofsen (44) and Cunningham (31), while the pick of the Titans bowlers were Janco Smit, 3-54, Dayyaan Galiem, 3-77, and Junior Dala, 2-37.

Brand and Moonsamy then almost took the Titans to lunch unblemished, but just before the break Brand was caught by Gavin Kaplan off the bowling of Aya Gqamane.

MOMENTUM MULTIPLY TITANS: Neil Brand (capt), Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Keegan Petersen, Dewald Brevis, Sibonelo Makhanya, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dayyaan Galiem, Junior Dala, Janco Smit, Lesego Kokohlabana

GOLDRUSH BOLAND: Pieter Malan, Grant Roelofsen, Gavin Kaplan, Aviwe Mgijima, Clyde Reeves-Fortuin (capt, wk), Ferisco Adams, Ethan-John Cunningham, Shaun von Berg, Aya Gqamane, Glenton Stuurman, Akhona Mnyaka